A Church on a Mission

THE HANDS AND FEET OF JESUS

For Hillsong California, it started with a question. How can the church follow Jesus’ call to love the incarcerated?

Churches of various sizes and traditions partner with Prison Fellowship^® to encounter Jesus with those impacted by incarceration. As the primary conduit for Jesus’ ongoing ministry here on Earth, churches like Hillsong come alongside those impacted by incarceration, both in their pews and in their communities.

Now, their three California campuses partner with Prison Fellowship in a variety of ways to love and serve people behind bars and their families across the state.

“You have to build those connections,” said Pastor Brenden Brown. “There are already great organizations within our own local communities that we can come alongside and partner and be a blessing with.”

THE GIFT OF CONNECTION

Hillsong found that partnering with Prison Fellowship Angel Tree^® meant they could easily connect with families in their local community who have been impacted by incarceration. Angel Tree works to strengthen relationships between incarcerated parents and their children and support families of the incarcerated year-round.

Through Angel Tree, parents in prison sign up their children to receive a gift in their name. Then a partner church receives a list of local children to serve. Church volunteers purchase, wrap, and deliver gifts and a personal note from the incarcerated parent to each child on their list. Angel Tree also provides a Bible in English or Spanish to every family that requests one.

Every year, Hillsong staff and volunteers host a Christmas party in the church courtyard with free food and games for Angel Tree families. Last year, they provided gifts for hundreds of children on behalf of their incarcerated mom or dad. Volunteers also got creative and provided prizes for other family members who attended but were not signed up for Angel Tree.

Angel Tree parties are often a popular choice for gift delivery, while many churches deliver gifts to the home. Luke Crowley, executive pastor at Hillsong California, says the party allows their church community to spend more time with the families.

“That party has been a huge win,” said Pastor Luke. “The families just blend and join the mix with everyone else who’s part of the church. It feels like there's almost no separation, which has been a dream. I can honestly say it’s one of the highlights of our year as a church.”

Last year, Pastor Luke overheard a small boy yell from inside the bounce house, “This is church?”

A small moment of joy for a child was, for Pastor Luke, a moment of clarity and a reminder. One event could embed a memory in a child’s mind. This is church—not a place, but a people of welcome.

BEING AN OPEN DOOR

Since becoming an Angel Tree church, Hillsong California has discovered many children and families in the area who can benefit from year-round support, pastoral care, mentoring, and other resources. Every season presents an opportunity to be generous.

In addition to inviting families to Sunday morning services, Hillsong invites Angel Tree parents and guardians to opportunities like women’s events, small groups, and youth outreaches throughout the week. They also invited families to Kidsfest, a special Sunday event for families with young children.

“We want them to know there are so many ways for them to come and meet more people and not live isolated or alone in what they're facing,” said Sarah Siu, care pastor at Hillsong. “We really try to invite them along and be an open door for them to find support.”

Families impacted by incarceration also feel the depth of the church’s support in April, when Hillsong joins congregations, businesses, and organizations nationwide to celebrate Second Chance Month^®. Spearheaded by Prison Fellowship every year, Second Chance Month raises awareness of the barriers faced by men and women with a criminal record and helps to unlock second chances for people who dream of a better tomorrow. Churches across the country join Prison Fellowship in the effort, recognizing the importance of second chances and the fresh start we can all have in Christ.

All Hillsong California campuses hosted a Second Chance Sunday service in April, gathering around a cause they care about as the Body of Christ. Church members across California embraced the opportunity to come together as one community to support second chances.

“People need that reminder because we’re very much insulated in our little world,” said Sarah Siu. “We go to work, and we drop our kids off, and we come home, and that little world is not the same for the people that are coming out of prison. We’re all here for our second chance. So how are we making that possible for people and being mindful of that?”

JUSTICE AND MERCY

After years of ministry with the incarcerated and their families, Pastor Brenden Brown recently had the opportunity to raise a voice for them in the halls of Congress. He joined Prison Fellowship’s advocacy team for a day on Capitol Hill to lobby for the Federal Prison Oversight Act. They took turns sharing testimonies and advocating for a justice system that promotes human dignity and restoration.

Though Pastor Brenden had never done anything like it, being with the group from Prison Fellowship put him at ease.

“It was a really amazing, eye-opening experience, being able to share my story of God's second chance in my life to some of these guys who were making decisions regarding these laws,” he said. “It was a humbling experience for sure. Just sitting with some of the team of experts from Prison Fellowship who knew exactly what they were talking about when it comes to the law … I was amazed and very blessed to be there.”

Thanks to the tireless work of advocates and justice ambassadors around the country, the Federal Prison Oversight Act was signed into law in July 2024. The law will help create a more robust system for regular external oversight of the federal prison system. This monumental bill will allow incarcerated men and women to serve their time in rehabilitative, humane settings.

After the bill passed, he considered the value of standing together to champion change: “Our voices do matter.”

A GLIMPSE OF ETERNITY

Scanning the prison yard at her first Hope Event, Sarah Emerson saw a sea of men with both hands raised as she led them in worship. Some sang with eyes closed, and some turned their faces to the sky.

As music washed over the crowd, she reveled in the rare beauty of it all. Prison staff, church volunteers, and incarcerated men in blue had all walked different paths to arrive there. But here they stood together, in the presence of God and in equal need of a Savior.

Sarah recalled, “When you’re in worship together, it’s almost like this eternal moment we share. And one day, we’re all going to be in heaven together, on the other side. It just brings a perspective like nothing else.”

Before the Hope Event ended, Sarah had an opportunity to speak with several attendees. One incarcerated man looked forward to being released in a few weeks. They had an honest conversation about the challenges of reentry and the importance of community. Sarah encouraged him to run to a church, knowing that believers have a responsibility to be a place of welcome and support.

“Only God knows what choices he's going to make moving forward, but I would have never been able to have the space to speak into someone's life like that,” said Sarah. “I hope and pray that he does make different decisions. I just felt very blessed to have an opportunity to have that conversation.”

A PART OF SOMETHING BIGGER

Prison Fellowship’s ministry model not only sends volunteers to be Jesus’ hands and feet in prison, but also to experience the incredible work that God is already doing there. Volunteers then bring these stories back to their churches, encouraging their congregations with the knowledge that what God is doing behind bars, He can do in their lives too.

Our desire is that the Church that God is building up behind bars would work hand in hand with the church outside prison. Through programs like Hope Events, Prison Fellowship Academy^®, and Angel Tree, we desire to form a pipeline from the inside out, responding to Jesus’ petition in John 17 that His Church would experience a unity mirroring His own closeness with the Father.

Through a holistic approach, our ministry programs function together in a symbiotic relationship, telling the story of God’s grace and redemption among prisoners, families, and communities.

If you asked Hillsong’s Brenden Brown what the grace of God looks like, he’d tell you it looks a lot like a prison yard. He’d also tell you to come see it for yourself.

“I would definitely encourage churches to be part of Prison Fellowship in one way or another,” said Pastor Brenden. “It is the heart of Jesus to give people second chances, to go into the prisons, to come alongside families that are in need. I think that's what the Gospel compels us to do. Prison Fellowship empowers the local church not to have to worry about trying to do everything alone. It’s really doable for all churches, no matter the size.”

“It’s very real. It’s on our doorstep,” Pastor Luke Crowley added. “And it’s not that complicated to make a huge difference. You’ve just got to do it.”